Canterbury Infantry Regiment (NZEF)

Canterbury Infantry Regiment
Active	1914–1919
Country	New Zealand
Allegiance	British Empire
Branch	New Zealand Military Forces
Role	Infantry
Size	3 Battalions
Part of	New Zealand and Australian Division (1915–1916) New Zealand Division (1916–1919)
Engagements	Egypt 1915–16, Gallipoli Campaign, France and Flanders 1916–18, Battle of the Somme, Battle of Messines (1917), Ypres 1917, Battle of Passchendaele, Battle of Bapaume 1918, Battle of Cambrai (1918)
Commanders
Notable commanders	Charles Henry Brown Robert Young
Insignia
Distinguishing Patch

The Canterbury Infantry Regiment was a military unit of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) raised for service in the First World War. It saw service in the Gallipoli Campaign (1915) and on the Western Front (1916–1919). The regiment was formed by grouping together companies from four different territorial regiments based in the Canterbury Military district.

History

The regiment was formed in 1914 as the Canterbury Battalion. The battalion consisted of four rifle companies, with each company raised from one of the territorial regiments of the Canterbury military district, namely the:

• 1st (Canterbury) Regiment
• 2nd (South Canterbury) Regiment
• 12th (Nelson) Regiment^{[Note 1]}
• 13th (North Canterbury and Westland) Regiment

Each company retained the name and cap badge of its parent territorial regiment.^[1]

Notes

Footnotes

1. 12th (Nelson & Marlborough) Regiment from 1917

Citations

1. Ferguson 1921, pp. 2–3.

References

• Ferguson, C. (1921). The History of the Canterbury Regiment, N.Z.E.F. 1914–1919. Auckland: Whitcombe and Tombs Limited. OCLC 904059618.